The way that public safety agencies communicate is changing dramatically. A significant majority – 70 percent – say getting data messages through is equal in importance to voice communications, according to the 2014 Public Safety Industry Study from Motorola Solutions.

Police, fire, EMS and other agencies have depended on voice and push-to-talk communications. Now, they are increasingly relying on an array of high-speed data communications, such as video and text, to improve the safety and outcomes for both field officers and they communities they serve. Currently 78 percent of respondents say they use mobile devices on the job while 55 percent are using mobile in car cameras even though a significant minority want to stream in real time.

Earlier this year, Motorola conducted a survey on the changes public safety agencies are planning to make in their communications over the next five years. The results reveal that agencies are focused on technology that enables them to:

More effectively use the growing volume of available data

Access the intelligence they need in the optimal format, whether that be voice, text or video

Communicate with both surrounding and federal agencies

For more information about Motorola Solution's Intelligent Data Portal, see our news story here.

The 2014 study also illustrates the continued importance of network security and the concern over the threat of cybercrime for public agencies. Two-thirds, 66 percent, of respondents say their public safety networks are vulnerable to security threats.

Find out more about what’s coming in the next five years in Public Safety 2019: The Migration to More Connected Communications. Download the results of the 2014 Public Safety Survey conducted by Motorola Solutions on the latest trends in public safety communications. Click here .